The Problem With Amazon Prime Day

The first ever Amazon Prime Day may also be the last, judging by the overwhelmingly negative comments from customers hoping to pick up a bargain. The biggest problem was hype, as the first Amazon Prime Day, held yesterday (July 15) did not live up to expectations. Instead, the whole event has left a nasty taste in the mouth of many loyal Amazon PrimeIs Amazon Prime A Good Deal?Is Amazon Prime A Good Deal?Amazon Prime seems like a great deal, but is it? We dig into the benefits to figure out if they're worth the $99 per year.Read More subscribers.

Amazon didn’t lie, as there were some incredible bargains on offer. Unfortunately, demand outstripped supply, meaning most people were left picking up the scraps left behind by the eager beavers sitting at their computers all day ready to click “Buy” at a moment’s notice. These scraps trended towards being old stock Amazon needed to clear out of its warehouses.

If there is to be an Amazon Prime Day 2016, Amazon needs to up its game in every department. A better user interface, better deals with more stock available at the lower price, and more common sense right across the board. As The Next Web pithily notes, this first Amazon Prime Day could have been called the Amazon Garage Sale.

Young announced he was throwing his toys out of his pram with a post on Facebook. He stated, “I don’t need my music to be devalued by the worst quality in the history of broadcasting or any other form of distribution. I don’t feel right allowing this to be sold to my fans. It’s bad for my music.”

Whereas making your music unavailable to your fans on the platforms they use is a completely selfless and positive move, obviously. Thanks, Obama Neil.

Twitter Improves Its Dashboard

Twitter has rolled out a new data dashboard to users, making it easier for individuals to manage their privacy and security settings. To access your dashboard, simply click “Settings” on Twitter.com, and a range of different options will be revealed.

Netflix Knocks Out the Competition

Netflix is enjoying a fantastic year, and its second quarter earnings [PDF link] suggest the success is set to continue. The streaming media company added 3.3 million subscribers in the last three months, which helped it bring in $1.64 billion in revenue.

Unfortunately, that only translates into $26 million in income, thanks to the costs involved in international expansion, funding Originals such as House of Cards and Sense8, and marketing. Still, the share price continues to climb, having doubled during 2015.

Watch the Super Zero Zombie Short

And finally, Super Zero is a short film about zombies that makes The Walking Dead look positively pedestrian. It doesn’t take itself half as seriously as AMC’s snoozefest, having more in common with the lighthearted dystopian flick, Zombieland.

Your Views on Today’s Tech News

Did you nab any bargains during Amazon Prime Day? Is Neil Young right or wrong about the quality of streaming music? Have you secured your Twitter account? Do you subscribe to Netflix? If so, why? Would you like to see Super Zero turned into a Web series?

Let us know your thoughts on the Tech News of the day by posting to the comments section below. Because a healthy discussion is always welcome.

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Anonymous

July 16, 2015 at 7:27 pm

As a crotchety old man who is in the process of going deaf and can't appreciate high fidelity any more, I applaud Neil Young for trying to set an example, and standing on his principles. He certainly doesn't need any more money, and I'm sure he won't be losing any sleep during one his many naps over what you have to say.

I guess you're right. Maybe I am a fool for not seeing through these things. In my defence, I have never bought anything during one of these sales, because I refuse to buy shit I don't need just because it's cheaper than usual.

I usually get sarcasm or some jokes but I guess I need the "Whereas making your music unavailable to your fans on the platforms they use is a completely selfless and positive move, obviously. Thanks, Obama Neil." line explained to me.

Why put Obama's name there and a line through it?

I can't think of a single Neil Young song in my playlist, guess his songs will sound the same to me now as they did before.